News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-09-08

md would nave US OelleNe d "on"oA
AN live no longer; but we know pet {
er, for shall we not wonder about that
picnic when nine times nine days nave
passed away, and more? We wonder
about it because we never knew De-
'ore that a picnic could be so delight
full. 1t took place in New England
lust where, our readers may guess. /
We started the day before from one OF 5
The loveliest mountain villages; two
rivers are in its midst, whose graceful
curves it is delight to follow; besidei
these rivers are pretty green fields,
varied at intervals by the white buck
wheat fields; the mountains furnish
background. When looking at them
and admiring their various shapes and
soft shades of green and blue, as they
are near or remote, one can easily I'M
derstand how dear they become to one
who lives among them. A merry par
tv of us started away, full of antlcl-
nations for the morrow, whose pleas
ure had already begun. A chapter
might we'll be written about that pre-
liminary ride, but / can only speak OF
the noble elm in front of the home
that supplied honey for our picnic. AS
I admired its majestic beauty thought
of the poet Holmes measuring the
elms of England, growing more and
more respondent as the frightening
tape showed them to be larger ana
larger than the elms at home, and l
wished that he could measure this tree,
feeling sure it would prove an anti
dote for that depression.
We passed the night at sUncle
BIS, and in the morning started
afresh on our pilgrimage for pleasure.
Our party was reinforced by two good
aunts. numerous copsins-=little and
big, and few other friends; the un-
cles remained behind. The party |
numbered twenty-siK In all. There !
we're nine in our carriage, and the
other carriages we're filled to their ut
most capacity. The weather was fine
in spite of the presence of Jonah,
who, on other occasions, had been ac-
cused of causing many tempest.
Said Jonah rejoieed in such happy |
change of fortune. The ride of per-
haps twelve miles was highly enjoyed,
Just before reaching our destination
an accident occurred, annoying but OF
no serious consequence. BE 1t here
recorded, the gentlemen of the party
did not lose their presence OF mind
and the ladies did not scream.
The scene of our picnic was the
highest mountain of the State. Some
months previous there had been a no.
table landslide. A sudden storm had
swollen mountain stream, causing
the earth to give way and start on
Journey of adventure. 1t took, in It's
course, numerous rocks and trees and
piled them on either side. Before it
reached the house at the base of the
mountain, it divided, part going
on one side and part on the other.
What might have been a great tide of
to the jewellers of the
house thus proved the reverse, bring
ing many visitors to the place and in
creasing their income, We took our
lunch in a shady place on the side of
the mountain. The thought of the
good things there spread out makes
me hungry at this moment. We had
a soldier in our party who was an
adept at building fires out Of doors
and making tea and coffee without
modern appliances. Never was drink
more refreshing. After dinner noun
tain stats were provided and the
climbing began, We followed the
bed of the stream, stepping from
stone to stone. The one who had
boasted most of her power TO climb,
was the first to fall behind. Thus al
ways with boosters. The scenery
grew wilder and wilder as we went
along, paying at each point for the ia
tigue of reaching it. The zeal of
most of the party was not to be damp
ened by trifes. One declared the
rough rock or which he fell "was soft
as feather bed" Two got separat-
ed from the rest and were just think
ing of the possibility of bears and
other horrors when an unearthly noise
burst upon their ears; but before
their hair had time to whiten with ter
ror, a lady appeared upon the scene,
evidently enjoying the CONSERVATION
was written upon her face that 1t re-
quired great effort of memory to re-
call the dignity she was capable of
assuming on certain occasions. One
lady resolved to reach the end of the
rocky way if she was sick to pay for
it. The gentlemen of the party went
to the very summit, making, part of
the way, path for themselves. There
they stood proudly waving their hand
kerchiefs. "Thereby hangs a tale p
Let the members of the picnic read it
between the lines. To fall down from
summit of honor is always easier
than to achieve it. These gentlemen
found it thus. In short time they
tumbled down the slope, so difficult to
climb, and retracing their path over
the rocky stream appeared before US
with torn clothing but gay spirits.
There were no better climbers in
the party than the little boys, who
jumped lightly from stone to stone,
enjoying the fun as we'll as the older
people. We started home at sunset.
We were trife timid at first, remem-
bering the accident of the morning,
the steep hills we must descend and
the dark bridges through which we
must pass; but assured by our dry
er, who drove by an excellent proxy,
that there was safety when he was
present, we determined to be courage
Gus. We reached home safely and
have been talking of that picnic ever
since. The mountain stats are now
among our most valued household
E.s.F.